Bachelor of Theology

Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.)

Through its affiliation with McGill University, The Presbyterian College is able to enrol students in the Bachelor of Theology program as a first degree. This provides students with the unique opportunity to study Christian theology within a university setting while also being part of a Christian community.

As part of the McGill community, you will be engaged in rigorous theological education available – pursuing first-rate undergraduate studies in a premier North American university.

As a student within The Presbyterian College, you will be part of a worshipping, prayerful community where you will experience personal support and an opportunity to explore your Christian faith at a more personal level.

Students considering some form of ministry within the church will also have the opportunity to develop their gifts for ministry. The Bachelor of Theology, therefore, is a foundational degree for students seeking spiritual leadership within their own tradition, including ordination for ministry.

Theological studies, along with religious studies, provide a unique perspective on our diverse world. While encouraging analytical thinking and communication skills, as well as a deepened understanding of and respect for others, the Bachelor of Theology helps students explore the essence of our humanity and what it means to contribute to the common good.

Students may also choose to complete minors in a variety of areas, including ethics, interfaith studies, entrepreneurship, or theology and Biblical studies.

The core 120-credit Bachelor of Theology degree is a four-year program, consisting of five 3-credits courses (15 credits) each term.

Students with a Diploma of Collegial Studies from a Québec CEGEP can complete the degree in three years, while students with Bachelor’s degrees can complete it in two.

Program Goals

The Bachelor of Theology is designed to help students

deepen intellectual understanding in the disciplines of theology

prepare for ministry in the contemporary world

progress in their faith journey

The Bachelor of Theology permits students to integrate courses at other McGill faculties and schools, making it possible for students to obtain, for example, a minor in leadership, social entrepreneurship or music.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Theology as a first degree who would like to enter ordained ministry will need to complete the Master in Sacred Theology and the In-Ministry Year (as an equivalent to the Master of Divinity).

IMPORTANT: The Bachelor of Theology Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPA) required for entry into post-graduate degrees are different:

The Master of Sacred Theology requires as CGPA of 3.3

The Master of Divinity requires a CGPA of 2.7

The Bachelor of Theology in the workplace

Some students choose to actively live their faith at work rather than seek ordination. The Bachelor of Theology degree is a sustaining education for many other types of community-oriented employment, including:

Admission requirements

To successfully enrol in the Bachelor of Theology, students must fulfil the academic, admission requirements of both McGill and The Presbyterian College. Students of The Presbyterian College must also provide a statement of their Christian faith and of their commitment to service within the Christian church.

Those who are accepted as students of The Presbyterian College, and enrolled in the B.Th. at McGill, will accept the following obligations in relation to The Presbyterian College:

Pay all tuition costs through the College.

Participate in community life and worship at the College.

Be part of a local congregation, engaged in some form of ministry.

Participate in occasional programs at the college, as invited, in areas pertinent to their academic work.

How to earn a Bachelor of Theology:

1) 120-credit degree program (4-Year)
Applicants from outside Quebec who hold a high school diploma (unless applying as a mature student). A maximum of 60 transfer credits is accepted.

2) 90-credit degree program (3-Year)
Applicants who have completed the Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS) from a Quebec CEGEP with a minimum average Cote R of 24, or equivalent. A maximum of 30 transfer credits is accepted.

3) 60-credit degree program (2-Year)
Applicants who have completed a Bachelor of Arts or other Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.7. No transfer credits are accepted.

Any McGill student in good standing, with a minimum of 30 credits, may apply to transfer from their current degree program into the Bachelor of Theology.

English proficiency

The language of instruction for most courses at McGill University is English; however, students may arrange to write term papers, examinations and theses in French, except in courses where the language itself is the basis of the course.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

Non-Canadian applicants whose mother tongue is not English, must have a score of 577 on the paper-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or a score of 90, on the new Internet-based iBT composite score.

A minimum score of 21 is required in each individual component of the TOEFL iBT (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).

Permanent residents of Canada whose first language is not English may also be required to submit a TOEFL.

IMPORTANT: To ensure TOEFL scores are received by McGill, students must note the university’s institution code, 0935, on the TOEFL exam.

Required supporting documents

Two letters of recommendation including at least one from an instructor in another academic institution

Personal Statement of Christian faith and of commitment to service in the Christian tradition. See application.

TOEFL score of 577; TOEFL iBT score of 90.

Deadlines for Application

Note: some exceptions apply; students are encouraged to contact the College directly if unable to meet their program deadline.

Winter Entry to B.Th.

Sept. 15 — International applicants

Nov. 1 — Canadian applicants

Spring Entry to B.Th.

March 1 — Canadian and International applicants

Fall Entry to B.Th.

May 1 — Canadian and International applicants

June 15 — College affiliated applicants

Note that all required documents listed above must be received by the McGill School of Religious Studies prior to these deadlines.
Bursaries through Presbyterian College may also be available upon application once a student has been accepted into the program.